Ferrari will begin equipping its engines with direct injection, starting with the 2009 F430. The technology will then spread to the rest of Ferrari’s lineup, including the 612 and 599. The move to direct injection will not only raise power by about 10%, but it will also reduce emissions — by at least 40% — while improving fuel economy. Ferrari is implementing direct injection in an effort to make its cars more environmentally friendly.
Ferrari looked to Audi as a model for direct injection and Ferrari is co-developing its system with Bosch — the same company that helped Audi develop its FSI technology. “We looked at Audi because they spent a lot of time on it and use it in more than one application with different engines,†Ferrari GT Technical Director Roberto Fedeli said.
According to Autocar, the new direct injection system will require a redesign of Ferrari engines, with the displacement and block being the only components left unchanged. “It’s the same engine from the block down,†a Ferrari source said, “but the injection rail will be new, the intakes will all be new, the cylinder heads will be new, the valve trains will be new and the throttle bodies will be a different type that you have not seen before.â€
The new technology is expected to drop Ferrari’s CO2 emissions from its current 400 g/km to 250 g/km. While this represents a significant improvement, it still falls well short of the proposed European emissions regulations of 120 g/km by 2012.
